ra
eyes. I sat up, my head throbbing with a fever that h
ingering in the room like the smel
gs gave way, and I collapse
ang. Gia, a low-ranking wolf who had been trying to climb the
chores today," she sneered. "Get up,
y vision swimming. "I
u're a waste of space. The Alpha only
bs before I could shield myself. The pain was blind
s. I tried to reach out with my mind, to call for help, but the Alpha'
he intricate pattern of the ceiling plaster, swimming like a refle
the room was quiet. I could h
by the heavy velvet curtains. Below, in t
r dust. Every time it struck her skin, the sil
s hands clasped behind his back. He didn
He alwa
thmically against the stone. He stopped in fron
ce dropping to a harsh whisper. "If the council sees you this weak,
ng with unshed tears. "I didn'
ed around the fabric of my sleeve, hauling me to my feet. H
y, Elara. When they hurt
The room smelled of old leather and power. He shoved me toward a large stone mortar
n pack needs my seal," he gr
tle. The grinding motion was agony, and a half-healed cut on my palm split o
nt, irrational fury
the arm and hauling me back to my ro
ll, ornate jar of ointment. He threw it at me,
gala is in two days. If you fail to stand bes
eave, but stop
e devoid of warmth. "You don'
tion in my chest. A flicker of something
n the halls. And when the new moon came, I would make sure he never saw me again-even
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